Long-acting composite-basket anode combination device

ABSTRACT

A long-acting composite-basket anode combination device comprising an outer frame for combination, two or more composite-basket anodes that allow feeding in batches, and an insoluble anode plate electrically connected with a power supply and mounted on each of the composite-basket anodes; the two or more composite-basket anodes are fixed on the outer frame for combination through a fixing device, respectively, the composite-basket anode includes a basket body, a plug-in strainer and a large-hole pressing plate; the large-hole pressing plate is fitted on both sides of the basket body and fixing the strainer inside the basket body to form a feed bin with an upper end opening. The present invention combines the soluble anode electrolytic refining principle with the two cathode metal production processes, and thus achieving one-step electrolytic refining.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of electrolysis equipment technology, particularly to a long-acting composite-basket anode combination device that is applicable to one-step direct electrolytic refining of scrap copper in an electrolyser or electrolysis of other scrap metals.

It is well known that metal ore (e.g. blister copper and copper concentrate) contains impurities, and can be neither used directly nor directly cast into a flat anode plate for electrolytic refining; it has to go through the fire refining of two steps of oxidation and reduction for removing the impurities therein before casting the melt into an anode plate having a certain shape and capable of meeting the electrolytic requirements. Taking the electrolytic copper as an example: before electrolysis, the copper to go through electrolytic refining is cast into a plate of a certain shape, and connected to the positive (anode) electrode, which is known as an anode plate; the cathode is a cathode sheet (also known as a starter sheet) produced by a starting sheet electrolyser, and connected to the negative (cathode) electrode, which is known as a cathode plate. During the electrolytic refining, under the action of an external power supply, the anode is dissolved, and the dissolved divalent copper ions migrate in the electrolyte to the cathode and are deposited thereon; when copper is deposited to a certain thickness, the cathode is taken out to be the cathode copper.

The soluble anode electrolytic refining process of copper mainly refers to the process wherein, under the action of the direct current, copper is dissolved in the form of divalent copper ions after losing electrons at the anode, while the divalent copper ions get electronics at the cathode to thus be precipitated in the form of metal copper; certainly, there will also be a series of side reactions by which other metals are precipitated and the electrolytic process is made complicated. Therefore, according to the copper electrode and the electric potential at a certain current density (and making the electrolyte contain an enough high concentration of free acid and divalent copper ions), due to the different values of the electric potential while the current goes through, during dissolution of the anode, an element present in the form of a metal and having an electric potential more significantly positive than that of copper will not be such dissolved into the anode mud as to be separated out, and an element having an electric potential more significantly negative than that of copper will not be precipitated but separated out in the electrolyte by means of the fluid purifying process, thus producing the high-purity cathode copper deposited on the cathode.

However, the above method, by which the fire refining is used to make the copper melt to be refined cast into an anode plate having a certain shape and capable of meeting the electrolysis requirements, suffers high energy consumption and makes environmental pollution difficult to be controlled.

While the scrap copper basket anode direct electrolysis of the prior art, due to the bath voltage, the unevenly distributed electric power lines and other reasons, is easy to cause high power consumption and low electrical efficiency as well as anode passivation, and thus difficult to produce qualified products and cannot form a production scale.

A method of direct production of electrowinning copper, in which the copper ore is leached out in one, two or more periods by means of heap leaching, bath leaching or other leaching ways, and then the leaching solution containing a low content of copper reaches a copper concentration after extraction and enrichment that meets the electrowinning requirements, is known as an electrowinning method; however, the electrowinning method has too high a power consumption, which is several times more of that of the electrolytic method. Besides, the raw material of the electrowinning method is mainly the low-grade copper ore.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above disadvantages of the prior art, and provides a long-acting composite-basket anode combination device having a simple structure, so as to allow one-step direct electrolytic refining of scrap metals and solve the problem of direct electrolysis large-scale production of scrap metals, and significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions.

In order to attain the above purpose, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A long-acting composite-basket anode combination device, comprising: an outer frame for combination, two or more composite-basket anodes that allow feeding in batches, and an insoluble anode plate electrically connected with the positive terminal of the power supply and mounted on each of the composite-basket anodes, the outer frame for combination being provided with a fixing device, the two or more composite-basket anodes being fixed on the outer frame for combination through the fixing device, respectively, the composite-basket anode including a basket body, a plug-in strainer and a large-hole pressing plate, the large-hole pressing plate being fitted on both sides of the basket body and fixing the strainer inside the basket body to form a feed bin with an upper end opening.

Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the outer frame for combination is provided at its four corners respectively with a hang ear used for hanging the outer frame for combination on an electrolyser.

Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the outer frame for combination is made of tech materials, fiber reinforced plastics, stainless steel or other high-strength corrosion-resistant materials.

Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the fixing device includes fixing blocks arranged at an equal interval on a beam on both sides of the outer frame for combination.

Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the two or more composite-basket anodes are fixed at an equal interval on the beam on both sides of the outer frame for combination respectively through the several fixing blocks.

Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the insoluble anode plate is made of lead, titanium, stainless steel, copper alloy material or composite material with good conductivity.

Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the basket body is made of plastics, fiber-reinforced plastics, tech materials or other high strength and corrosion-resistant insulating materials.

Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the strainer is made of a stainless steel mesh, perforated rigid plastics, or a nylon mesh having good permittivity of electric power lines.

Compared with the existing technology, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

1. The present invention forms a soluble basket anode entirety by putting the scrap metal into a composite-basket anode, and combines the soluble anode electrolytic refining principle with the two cathode metal production processes, i.e. the basket soluble anode process and the insoluble anode wet electrowinning refining process, thus achieving one-step electrolytic refining, significantly reducing energy consumption and environmental pollution, meanwhile recycling the regenerated metal resources or other metals, thereby producing the qualified metal base raw materials.

2. The present invention provides an outer frame for combination, two or more composite-basket anodes that allow feeding in batches, and an insoluble anode plate fitted on each of the composite-basket anodes, which have simple structure, reasonable design, and easy hoisting and installation of the bath face, solving the problem of direct electrolysis large-scale production of scrap metals, realizing industrialized and large-scale production of electrolysis of scrap metals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the long-acting composite-basket anode combination device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the outer frame for combination of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the composite-basket anode of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the basket body of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the strainer of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the large-hole pressing plate of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the insoluble anode plate of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a structural schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the insoluble anode plate of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the insoluble anode plate of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of FIG. 9 along the line A-A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For illustrating the idea and purpose of the present invention, the present invention will further be described below in detail in combination with diagrams and examples.

As shown in FIG. 1, a long-acting composite-basket anode combination device is provided, applicable to electrolyze copper or other scrap metals in an electrolyser, comprising: an outer frame for combination 1, two or more composite-basket anodes 2 that allow feeding in batches, and an insoluble anode plate 3 electrically connected with the positive terminal of the power supply and mounted on each of the composite-basket anodes 2, the outer frame for combination 1 being provided with a fixing device, two or more composite-basket anodes 2 being fixed on the outer frame for combination 1 through a fixing device, respectively. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device has simple structure, reasonable design, easy hoisting and installation on the bath face of the electrolyser, and convenient bath face management, and can (arbitrarily) determine the number of the composite-basket anodes 2 to be combined according to the length of the bath face, thus solving the problem of direct electrolysis large-scale production of scrap metals (scrap copper), realizing industrialized and large-scale production of electrolysis of scrap metals (scrap copper).

As shown in FIG. 2, the outer frame for combination 1 is provided at its four corners respectively with a hang ear 11 used for hanging the outer frame for combination 1 on an electrolyser; the outer frame for combination 1 is made of plastics, fiber reinforced plastics, stainless steel or other high-strength corrosion-resistant materials; and the outer frame for combination 1 is not easy to be deformed in the electrolytic process.

Wherein the fixing device includes fixing blocks 12 arranged at an equal interval on a beam on both sides of the outer frame for combination 1, with the positions where the composite-basket anode 2 and the cathode plate 2 are fixed being reserved between the two adjacent fixing blocks 12, respectively. In this example, preferably there are four composite-basket anodes 2, which are fixed at an equal interval on the beam on both sides of the outer frame for combination 1 respectively through the several fixing blocks 12; while electrolysis, a cathode plate is arranged between the two adjacent composite-basket anodes 2.

As shown in FIGS. 3-6, specifically, the composite-basket anode 2 includes a basket body 21, a plug-in strainer 22 and a large-hole pressing plate 23, the large-hole pressing plate 23 being fitted on both sides of the basket body 21 and fixing the strainer 22 inside the basket body 21 to form a feed bin with an upper end opening, the strainer 22 being convenient to be removed and replaced.

Wherein the basket body 21 can be made of plastics, fiber-reinforced plastics, tech materials or other high strength and corrosion-resistant insulating materials. The strainer 22 can be made of a stainless steel mesh, perforated rigid plastics, or a nylon mesh having good permittivity of electric power lines; the composite-basket anode 2, having the structure of a strainer, can make the electrolyte circulate smoothly and thus improve the current efficiency. Certainly, the composite-basket anode 2 can also use a filter set, a flapper and other structures, not limited to this example.

As shown in FIG. 3, the insoluble anode plate 3 is mounted in the middle of the basket body 21 and inserted inside the basket body 21; the insoluble anode plate 3, referring to an anode plate that has no or rare anodic dissolution reaction during the electrolytic process, has such advantages as energy saving, material saving, and long acting (lifetime), and can be made of lead, titanium, stainless steel, copper alloy material or composite material with good conductivity. Besides, the structure and shape of the insoluble anode plate 3 can be changed according to actual needs, as shown in FIGS. 7-10, where the insoluble anode plate 3 having three different structures is shown. What needs to be noted is that a different insoluble anode should be used in each process due to different compositions of the electrolyte, species of cathode metal products, additives, impurities, and electrolysis conditions.

The work principle of the present invention is as follows:

First the long-acting composite-basket anode combination device is hung into the electrolyser, then loading automatically in batches the scrap metals (scrap copper) from the pretreatment processes, such as strong-magnetic iron removal, alkaline/acidic washing, and impurity separation, into the composite-basket anode 2 by the computer numerical control (currently the combination of electric and manual modes is available), putting into the cathode plate, connecting the positive and negative electrodes, and formulating the electrolyte and heating it to the desired temperature; during the electrolytic process, the scrap metals (scrap copper) are put into the composite-basket anode 2 to form a soluble basket anode entirety; under the coaction of the insoluble anode plate 3 and the cathode plate, the scrap metals (scrap copper) lose electrons to thus be dissolved in the form of metal ions (divalent copper ions), while the metal ions are precipitated in the form of metals (copper) after getting electrons on the cathode, thus producing the high-purity metals (copper) deposited on the cathode.

In summary, the present invention combines the soluble anode electrolytic refining principle with the two cathode metal production processes, i.e. the basket soluble anode process and the insoluble anode wet electrowinning refining process, thus realizing uninterrupted one-step electrolytic refining production of scrap metals (scrap copper), with the target of DC power consumption <500 degrees/t copper able to be achieved; the present invention reduces the energy consumption significantly relative to the fire electrolytic refining, has no metal burning, smelting slag or dust emission, reduces environmental pollution, and meanwhile recycles the regenerated metal resources or other metals, thereby producing the qualified metal base raw materials.

The above examples are preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the embodiments of the present invention are free from restriction of the above examples, and any other modification, amendment, replacement, combination and simplification not departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be the equivalent interchange method, and all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A long-acting composite-basket anode combination device, characterized in that: it comprises an outer frame for combination (1), two or more composite-basket anodes (2) that allow feeding in batches, and an insoluble anode plate (3) electrically connected with the positive terminal of the power supply and mounted on each of the composite-basket anodes (2), the outer frame for combination (1) being provided with a fixing device, the two or more composite-basket anodes (2) being fixed on the outer frame for combination (1) through the fixing device, respectively, the composite-basket anode (2) including a basket body (21), a plug-in strainer (22) and a large-hole pressing plate (23), the large-hole pressing plate (23) being fitted on both sides of the basket body (21) and fixing the strainer (22) inside the basket body (21) to form a feed bin with an upper end opening.
 2. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the outer frame for combination (1) is provided at its four corners respectively with a hang ear (11) used for hanging the outer frame for combination (1) on an electrolyser.
 3. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the outer frame for combination (1) is made of tech materials, fiber reinforced plastics, stainless steel or other high-strength corrosion-resistant materials.
 4. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the fixing device includes fixing blocks (12) arranged at an equal interval on a beam on both sides of the outer frame for combination (1).
 5. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device according to claim 4, characterized in that: the two or more composite-basket anodes (2) are fixed at an equal interval on the beam on both sides of the outer frame for combination (1) respectively through the several fixing blocks (12).
 6. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the insoluble anode plate (3) is made of lead, titanium, stainless steel, copper alloy material or composite material with good conductivity.
 7. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the basket body (21) is made of plastics, fiber-reinforced plastics, tech materials or other high strength and corrosion-resistant insulating materials.
 8. The long-acting composite-basket anode combination device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the strainer (22) is made of a stainless steel mesh, perforated rigid plastics, or a nylon mesh having good permittivity of electric power lines. 